


The Sakura Kinomoto Diaries

by MissSunFlower94



Category: Cardcaptor Sakura
Genre: Alternate Universe - Video Diaries, Canon - Anime, Canon - Manga, F/M, Gen, Other: See Story Notes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 14:44:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2472023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/pseuds/MissSunFlower94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of Syaoran's confession, Sakura watches some of Tomoyo's videos and realizes that watching recorded evidence of someone falling in love with you can be very... illuminating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - My Name is Sakura Kinomoto

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a plot bunny and now I've decided to go ahead and do it.
> 
> The story is going to be a slight canon divergence. Because it's being told as though it were a video diary, certain scenes/conversations will take place in different locations or be recounted after their occurrence. 
> 
> The storyline will follow the Master of the Clow (second half of the manga) canon - however it will have references to scenes that were only in the anime. Kind of a roundabout way of saying 'Manga canon + Meilin' which is basically what this is.
> 
> This first chapter is the prologue/set up. Enjoy! :)

Sakura’s head was reeling. Her heart ached in a way it never had before, and she honestly had no idea what she was feeling.

_“I love you.”_

Syaoran’s words played again and again in her head, all she could think about, all she could concentrate on.

_“Huh?”_

_“You’re the one I love most. That’s all I wanted to say. Be careful going home.”_

And then he had just… left. Just turned and walked home as if he hadn’t just turned Sakura’s life completely upside down in a few sentences, for all the world like they’d been having any casual conversation.

Like he hadn’t left her lost in heartache and confusion for the past three hours since his confession.

She sat in her bedroom, staring at the wall, not seeing it really. There were so many questions she had for him now, most of all ‘ _when_?’ When had he fallen in love with her?

‘ _When_ ’ was a pretty good question regarding everything about her relations with Syaoran Li, if she was honest. When had he stopped hating her, trying so hard to compete with her over the cards, over Yukito? When had he decided to respect her, consider her his friend? In fact, when had _she_ begun to consider him _her_ friend? When had he become more?

The wall was providing no answers to these questions and Sakura’s eyes fell to the laptop computer at her desk.

All of Tomoyo’s videos were on that computer. Her documented adventures as Cardcaptor, of course, and the adventures that followed, but also...

Starting after she had been judged as the new Mistress of the Clow Cards and all throughout their transformation into Sakura Cards, Tomoyo had taken to filming her, Kero, and occasionally even Syaoran, in a video diary format, focusing on her friends, her family, little bits of the day to day life of Cardcaptor Sakura (“People have seen all the action – there needs to be exposition! People want to know more about our cute heroine outside of her extraordinary adventures!”).

Tomoyo often referenced ‘ _people_ ’ when talking about the videos she made, but Sakura didn’t think they actually went _up_ anywhere publicly. Either way, she tried not to think about it for very long. She shot the videos anyways, and, when she wasn’t thinking about them much, had a bit of fun.

Syaoran had appeared in those videos, both physically and in mention, in increasing frequency as her friendship with him had grown. She wondered, if to answer some of the questions burning in her about his love for her, and maybe her own feelings towards him… whether this was a good place to start.

She wasn’t getting answers anywhere else, anyway. She decided to re-watch her video diary.


	2. And this is my life

Sakura was sitting, centered, in frame, and fighting the desire to play with her hair self-consciously. _Like talking to my friends_ , she reminded herself, _just talk like I would to any of my friends_. Never mind that she never spoke about _this part_ of her life to them.

Smiling, she spoke to the camera as confidently as she could. “Hello, um, everyone! I’m 14 years old and an 8th grader at Tomoeda Middle School, I like gym class and music, and I’m not very good at math. Mostly, I’m just an average girl. There’s one thing that’s different about me, though – I’m the holder of a magical deck of cards, and have magic, myself.

“My name is Sakura Kinomoto, and this is my life.”

Behind the camera, Tomoyo Daidouji clapped her hands in delight. “That sounds just _wonderful_!”

Sakura looked past the camera, up at her friend, her confidence wavering. “Really? Doesn’t it sound silly?” She didn’t really mind when Tomoyo filmed her capturing Clow Cards, but this just felt strange.

"Not at all, not from you, Sakura-chan!” Her best friend was adamant.

“Yeah, but you don’t think people will really believe me, do you?” Actually, she didn’t know whether or not she _wanted_ people to believe her, when she thought about it. Both options were equally strange.

Tomoyo sighed, “They can or they cannot, that’s the fun of it! The mystery! Imagine our viewers watching the adventures of Cardcaptor Sakura’s life – it makes a great show, especially with a heroine as cute as you!”

“Tomoyo-chan,” Sakura groaned and blushed even as she smiled.

“It’s true and you know it,” she said, firmly. “Now tell everyone about how you discovered Kero-chan and the Clow Cards.”

And Sakura went and did just that. She was nearly done when there was a loud thump off screen and then, “ _Sakura!_ You didn’t tell me Tomoyo was coming over – and filming! What’s up? Why didn’t you wake me? You two haven’t eaten without me, have you?”

Sakura blanched visibly before being obstructed by the round golden head and beady black eyes of the Clow Guardian, Kero. “Whatcha filming, anyhow? Sakura’s not in any Tomoyo-brand swanky costumes, and I haven’t sensed anything strange? What’s up?”

Tomoyo spoke from behind the camera, innocent and amused. “I think people will believe us now, Sakura-Chan.”

“I don’t know about this…”

It took several tries to get Kero to sit back by Sakura and stop taking up the entire screen, all while explaining the concept of the Sakura Kinomoto video diaries.

“So where’re we at now?” Kero asked, once he’d finally listened to her.

“Well, I’ve talked about the cards, and you’ve made your appearance-“

“My _grand appearance_!”

“-I suppose I should introduce you, Tomoyo-chan. Come here.”

Tomoyo appeared a moment later, taking a seat and waving politely at the implied audience. “Hello.”

It felt easier to talk when talking about someone else. Sakura relaxed. “This is Tomoyo Daidouji. She’s my best friend and the recorder and editor of all my videos. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, and she’s helped me out in all sorts of ways. I don't know where I would be without her.”

Tomoyo hugged her around the shoulders. “Anything for you, Sakura-chan, and any chance to film you on your magical adventures!” She added, positively glowing.

"Hoee.” Sakura groaned. She straightened her shoulders, and continued. “Anyways, I guess you’ve seen lots of Tomoyo-chan and Kero-chan in my Cardcaptor-ing videos, and you’ll see them a lot here, too!”

Something occurred to her. “OH! You’ve probably seen Syaoran-kun a lot in those videos,” her face fell slightly, “but he’s going back to Hong Kong so you probably won’t get to see him here.”

Kero sniffed. “You’re not missing much.”

“Kero-chan! Don’t be mean!”

            “Hey, hey. I could play him – for theatrical purposes!” He switched voices, pulling off a flawless impression of Syaoran Li’s voice. “’ _I’m that bratty Hong Kong kid who always gave Sakura a hard time, even though she was way, way better than me at everything. Also I’m angry all the time and hate fun. And smiling_ -‘“

“Kero- _chan_!” Sakura snapped. “That’s not true!” Tomoyo, beside her, was smothering a giggle.

“What? It totally is! Have you ever seen the brat smile?”

“…yes!”

“But not often,” Tomoyo put in, still smiling. “You have to admit, Li-kun is very serious.”

“He is,” Sakura conceded, and let herself smile. “But he’s always been really helpful and I trust him. It’ll be weird not having him around anymore...”

Tomoyo looked ready to say something before a muffled voice was heard from off camera. “Sakura? Who are you talking to?”

Sakura froze. “Oh no! Touya can’t know about these videos – Kero-chan, go lay on the bed!” She glanced at the camera. “How do you…”

Tomoyo was already standing. “Let me. Say goodbye, Sakura-chan!”

Frantically, Sakura waved a tiny, panicked goodbye, and the camera turned off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I aged the kids up a little bit, for realism's sake.


	3. And this is my family

Sakura played with the collar of her shirt until Tomoyo spoke from her camerawoman’s position. “It’s on.”

The girl sat upright immediately. “Oh! Hello again! I’m guessing after the end of the last video you probably want to know more about my family. At least, Tomoyo-chan thinks you all want to know. I’ll talk about them a lot so I guess if I ever start yelling about Touya or talking about my dad’s job you might be lost. So here’s a video about them! Confusion over! … Well, it will be after this. Right now you’re probably more confused, aren’t you- I mean-“

Tomoyo was laughing softly. “You’re doing fine, Sakura-chan.”

She brightened. “Thank you, Tomoyo-chan!”

Taking a breath she said, “My name is Sakura Kinomoto and this is my family.

“You’ve already met me, Sakura! I like athletics, summer and anything sweet. But I am not the only child here! Nope – I have an older brother, Touya. He's five years older than me. He goes to the college in town, and lives at home – and he works everywhere. He’s always teasing me, but that’s just because he’s so much bigger than me. I swear one of these days I’ll get a growth spurt and he won’t dare make fun of me.” Tomoyo giggled off camera, and Sakura clenched her fist and grinned, determined. “It’s true! Well, he… does care about me I know, and I don’t want him to worry. Touya doesn’t know about my Cardcaptor days, although there have been some close calls – he’s pretty observant. He has some magic, too, I think. People call it a sixth sense. I wouldn’t like that – seeing ghosts.” She shuddered expressively.

Tomoyo laughed, again.

“And then! There’s my father, Fujitaka Kinomoto. He is the best person ever. He’s a professor at the same school Touya goes to. He teaches archeology and he’s super smart and loving and just- just perfect.” She put her chin in her hands and breamed, happiness radiating from her. “He can do everything. I love him the most, I really do. He’s raised Touya and I all by himself since- _OH_!”

She stood suddenly, her head shooting out of frame.

The pause lasted a second, thanks to Tomoyo’s editing; the camera's scene cut instantly to Sakura sitting once more, slightly breathless and smiling proudly. In her hands was a small picture frame. “And this! This is my mom!” She thrust the frame at the camera, until it obscured the screen.

“People can’t see that Sakura-chan, pull it back a bit,” Tomoyo said, amused.

“Oh,” she laughed a little self-consciously. The picture was pulled back until it was visible. “This is my mom,” she repeated. “Isn’t she beautiful? She was a model after all, so we have lots of pictures of her. It’s nice because it feels like she’s still here – even though she died when I was only three. Dad and Touya both talk about her a lot, which helps, too. I know wherever she is she’s happy, and watching over us. That’s enough for me.”

She sighed, happy, and put the photo aside. “Oh, and she and Tomoyo-chan’s mom were cousins – so, technically, that means Tomoyo-chan and I are family, too!” Still cheerful she added, speaking now to Tomoyo, “Even if our parents weren’t related I’d still consider you my family!”

There was a pause and then Tomoyo sweetly said. “I’m very glad you feel that way, Sakura-chan.”

Off camera, a sleepy voice said, “Heey Sakura~ why are you being so loud?”

Sakura bolted upright once more. “Kero-chan woke up!” she hissed, waving a hand at Tomoyo. “Hide the camera!”

Tomoyo laughed softly, and the screen went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note. I didn't use honorifics for 'Touya' when Sakura is calling him by his name, mainly because I'm pretty sure Touya never uses honorifics when calling Sakura her name. I've been taught that that's essentially the highest form of informality/closeness between two people. I thought it worked.  
> And when I think about it Touya and Yukito never use honorifics when talking to each other - and in Yukito's case, he definitely uses them with others.  
> Anyways, calling him 'onii-chan' in this writing just felt. off. idk I hope this all works.


	4. And we've got a new transfer student

The camera winked on to Sakura, smiling. After a moment the smile faded to a confused expression, and she looked up to the camerawoman.

“Well, come on,” she said, patting the seat next to her expectantly.

Tomoyo’s voice said, “I’m fine back here.”

Sakura shook her head. “No, no – I want you to sit with me. Please?”

Her friend sighed, but obediently came into frame, another wave to the audience. “Hello.”

Content, Sakura turned back to the camera. “Hello, again! It’s been a couple of days since the first video. I had to finish my summer homework… which I may have been putting off until the last day of summer,” she admitted, with the smallest blush. “B-but that’s not important! What _is_ important is that today was my first day of the new trimester at school and there was a surprise!

My name is Sakura Kinomoto and we’ve got a new transfer student.”

Kero’s head popped up behind Sakura’s shoulder. “What? Another one?”

Sakura jumped, nearly falling out of her chair. Tomoyo steadied her, amused. “K-K-Kero-chan. I thought you were napping…”

“I was, but you girlies were all giggly and woke me up – and you’re filming again!” He looked from the camera to Sakura suspiciously. “Are you tryin to keep me from your videos?”

“Of course not!” Sakura said, a little too quickly. Kero opened his mouth but she quickly changed the subject. “Anyways, what do you mean ‘ _another one_ ’, like that?”

Kero shrugged tiny shoulders. “You just seem to get a lot of them is all. First that bratty kid-“

“Syaoran-kun is _not_ a brat!”

He waved a hand absently, “then the brat’s even brattier cousin.”

“Meilin-chan is a good girl,” Tomoyo put in.

“And then your teacher, with the moon bell… say, all your transfer students have had something or other to do with the Clow Cards – tangentially in that Hong Kong girl’s case, but still. What’s this new kid like, anyhow?”

“Well, his name is Eriol Hiragizawa, and he’s from England.” Sakura recited. “I don’t sense anything magical about him, but I didn’t sense anything about Syaoran-kun or Mizuki-sensei or-“

“Well, Mizuki-sensei did make you feel _floaty_ , right?” Tomoyo clarified. “Hiragizawa-kun doesn’t do that, either.”

Sakura nodded. “No. He’s very polite and nice but I don’t feel floaty around him.” After a moment’s thought she added, “I do feel like I know him, just a little, but I think that’s just because he reminds me a lot of my dad.”

“He does seem very mature,” Tomoyo agreed.

Kero looked at her suspiciously. “So, outside of that, there’s nothing strange about him?”

“Not that I can tell, anyways. Although, Syaoran-kun doesn’t seem to like him, and he didn’t like Mizuki-sensei either so-“ she cut off when Tomoyo made a small noise suspiciously close to a snort – if it weren’t that Tomoyo Daidouji was _far_ too dignified for such things. “Mm?”

“Li-kun’s disliking Mizuki-sensei and disliking Hiragizawa-kun are very, very different dislikes,” she said, innocently.

Sakura looked at her in blank confusion, before something else occurred to her. “Oh! Touya got a new transfer student, too! I only got to see her a little today but she seemed very energetic… but Touya doesn’t seem to like her.”

“Well, whatever else you say about your bro, he does have good instincts,” Kero pointed out, somewhat grudgingly. Those instincts had nearly gotten them into trouble on more than one occurrence.

But Sakura could never understand how people could have bad feelings about another, especially someone they’d only just met. “Well, he doesn’t like Syaoran-kun and there’s no reason for that.” Tomoyo started giggling and Sakura looked at her, startled. “What is it?”

She waved a hand. “Nothing, Sakura-chan. I’m just thinking of Li-kun’s dislike or Hiragizawa-kun, again. They’re very similar, those dislikes; boys don’t like feeling threatened, especially when is comes to the things they love.”

Sakura blinked at her friend, who sometimes said the strangest things. “Hoe?” But before she could press the issue, something caught the girl’s attention. She turned to look off camera. “Oh, wow – it’s really raining hard all of a sudden!”

Tomoyo stood. “Wasn’t the forecast predicting sun all weekend?”

Sakura nodded, looking puzzled. “You should probably call your house and have someone get you. I don’t want you getting a cold.”

“Yes, of course,” Tomoyo said, moving completely out of camera frame, her voice now slightly muffled. “Be sure you call me if something happens and you go out tonight!”

Sakura’s puzzled expression intensified. “Why would I be going out tonight?”

The camera simply cut off there.


	5. And strange things are happening in Tomoeda

Sakura’s face was unusually serious as she addressed the camera. “So, I guess Tomoyo-chan had her tape out last night, so I don’t really have to tell anyone what happened when I tried to use my magic to deal with the rain.” She sighed, looking at her hands. “It’s still raining, and my cards aren’t working to fix it. I’m… not sure what’s happening, or what’s going to happen now.

“My name is Sakura Kinomoto, and strange things are happening in Tomoeda.”

After reciting that, her concerned and somber expression brightened to it’s characteristic cheer. “And _THIS_ ,” she said, tugging on a partially visible arm beside her, “Is Syaoran-kun.”

Tomoyo panned the camera over and the boy came into full display. He sat as far from Sakura as he could without falling off the bench. He had started at the sudden change in topic, and his sudden address. Now, he stared at his lap with a determined intensity, his messy dark hair obscuring his eyes.

Oblivious, Sakura tugged his sleeve again. “Say hi to everyone, Syaoran-kun!”

He spared her a glance, his face several shades redder than was natural. “Who is everyone?”

She paused, considering. “I’m not sure. Tomoyo-chan, are people actually watching these videos?”

Tomoyo giggled. “You should say hi, Li-kun.”

He scowled at her non-answer but obliged, the ‘ _hi_ ’ barely audible. Still, Sakura was pleased and let go of his arm. He sighed.

“Right- Remember how I talked about Syaoran-kun and said he was going back to Hong Kong?” She had returned to addressing what audience they might posses. “Guess what! He’s sticking around here! I’m so glad!”

Syaoran had looked up from his lap again, first at the camera, in clear surprise that Sakura had ever _talked about him_ on video, and then at the girl herself as she babbled about how happy she was that he was staying, his expression nothing short of awed.

“-especially glad he’s here,” she was saying, “because, like I said, something strange is happening and I don’t understand it at all. I’ll need as much help as I can get.”

“I don’t know how much help I’ll be,” he admitted. “I don’t understand this any more than you do.”

She nodded, sober again. “ I never thought there’d be any problems after catching the cards, or anything that they couldn’t fix.”

“It must be someone with power making it happen.”

“But wouldn’t we be able to sense that?”

He considered it seriously. “Not necessarily. Not if it was someone with more power than either of us.”

“More…” Sakura murmured, baffled.

“Hey, Sakura,” Kero, who had been sitting in her lap, flew up to stand on her shoulder. Both Syaoran and Sakura jumped a little and Tomoyo’s soft laugh was heard – in their conversation it was clear that the two young magicians had forgotten anyone else was in the room, much less that they were being filmed. “Do you think you could get your boyfriend to come over tonight?”

Sakura looked at him blankly, completely missing the way Syaoran stiffened next to her. “B-boyfriend?” she asked.

“Yeah, Yukito.”

At the name alone her face went an impressive shade of pink, and Syaoran somehow managed to go even stiffer, looking again at his lap. “O-oh.” She said, flustered, “I don’t know. Touya has him over a lot but I don’t know if he had it planned for tonight. I could try asking, though. Why?”

“After yesterday, I need to talk to Yue.”

“ _Oh_ ,” she said in a very different voice.

Kero caught it. “What’s up?”

Quickly she shook her head. “N-nothing. Just… Yue-san makes me nervous still.” She ducked her head, embarrassed.

Kero patted her head with his tiny paw. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. He’s a prickly personality even if he likes ya. Don’t take it personally; he judged you worthy of the cards and that’s what counts.”

“I know that,” she said, but she smiled a little at the words. They meant a lot.

“In the meantime, until I can confer with Yue, there’s nothing we really can do,” Kero added, sliding back down into her lap. “Don’t worry too much about it, Sakura. You’ll figure it out, you always do.”

She giggled. “Kero-chan…”

“Sakura – are you talking to yourself?” Touya’s voice was heard muffled, from the downstairs.

Sakura started. Lost in more serious conversation, no one had heard her older brother entering the house. It was later than they had thought. “Kero-chan!” she gestured off toward her bed frantically.

He flew off-camera. Just as Touya’s voice came, louder now. Clearly having noticed the shoes at the doorstep - _two_ extra pairs - there was now an edge to his voice. “Why is that _kid_ over here?”

Syaoran glared at no one in particular, bracing himself as if Sakura’s brother was going to come barreling through the door ready to fight him. Of course, that wasn’t far out of the realm of possibility.

Sakura sighed, resigned to the awkward conversation to come. “Tomoyo-chan, the camera…”

“Of course, Sakura-chan,” Tomoyo said, good natured enough although she sounded as though she would much like to film the resulting scene. The scene cut to black as the recorder turned off.


	6. And this is all about Yukito

“Sakura,” Kero’s face filled in the entire screen at first, until the girl picked him up and pulled him away. The camera image was a bit shakier, darker, and a little lower quality. Just the camera on her laptop – none of Tomoyo’s expensive camcorder work. Kero looked from the screen to Sakura. “You feelin’ okay, kid? You’re _voluntarily_ making a Tomoyo-vid…”

Sakura shook her head, grinning. Her cheeks were flushed slightly. “Well, I thought of something I wanted to talk about, and Tomoyo-chan encouraged me to make any videos if that happened – as long as she gets to edit them still.”

Kero still looked slightly skeptical. “If you say so.”

“I do,” she said. Squaring her shoulders she gave the camera a wide and cheerful smile. “My name is Sakura Kinomoto and this is all about Yukito-san.”

Hovering just at Sakura’s eye level, Kero suddenly dropped, losing several inches of height before righting himself. Sakura looked at him, confused. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing,” he hastened to reassure her. “I’m just surprised I didn’t see that coming,” he added sardonically.

Sakura had a feeling he was teasing her still, but was in too good a mood to call him out on it, looking back to the screen she continued. “So, it’s only been a few hours since my last video – we had dinner. Yukito-san couldn’t come over for that, but Touya invited him over to do homework! He’s over right now! I got to see him after all” She placed her chin in hers hands, beaming.

“And, more importantly, we get to talk to Yue,” Kero pointed out. “Speaking of, you need to get him alone at some point tonight – have you thought about that?”

“Of course that, too,” Sakura said, but it was obvious she was still in her dreamy state, unconcerned with magical issues. “Anyways,” she added to the invisible audience. “I thought it was well overdue that I tell you about Yukito-san, properly. And I suppose that does start with Yue-san.

“You see, Clow-san made two guardians for his cards Kero-chan and Yue-san – Kero-chan chose me as the collector of the cards and Yue-san judged me worthy of being their master. And like Kero-chan, Yue-san has a temporary form that he stays in when he’s not needed. That temporary form is Yukito-san.

“Except, unlike Kero-chan, Yukito-san doesn’t actually know that he is really Yue-san, or else we would have sensed him before my judgment. So, most of the time Yukito-san is Yukito-san; a student at university and my brother’s best friend. How someone as kind as Yukito-san can get along with my mean big brother confuses me, but I guess that just shows how kind he is, he can like anyone. And everyone loves Yukito-san.”

“And Sakura most of all,” Kero drawled.

She went a brilliant pink, putting her hands to her cheeks once more. “I do,” she said softly, as if admitting something no one would have previously guessed. “Yukito-san is smart, and kind and good at everything.” Lowering her voice even more she added, “And he’s really, _really_ cute.” Kero made a noise like a snort, and she cleared her throat. “And I do know that my attraction is in part because my magic is drawn to Yue-san’s power – both Syaoran-kun and I – but that’s not all it is. I am sure of it-!”

“No, you’re right.” Kero interrupted her impassioned declaration of emotion for, for all his boredom with Sakura’s floaty attitude, this was something he was intent on. “On a subconscious level you were first drawn to the Snow Rabbit for Yue’s magic, but the emotional bond you have with him is something your heart truly feels. That’s real.”

Sakura smiled, glad for the affirmation. She nodded decisively, first at Kero, and then the camera.

A knock came at the door. “Sakura-chan?” A light, mild voice was muffled off-screen.

Sakura bolted to standing, waving a hand to Kero, who obediently dropped behind the camera, hiding. The girl vanished off-screen for a moment, and all that there was was her voice.

“Y- _Yukito-san_!”

“Hello – Your brother was getting tired so I left him to go to bed. I figured I’d head home, and I thought I heard your voice.”

“Oh, I’m ju- just- I’m- I’m making a video for Tomoyo-chan. Just… for- y’know...” She trailed off, awkward and unable to think of an ordinary reason for why she would be filming herself for her friend.

“I see." Yukito said, good-naturedly. "How fun.”

There was a pause. If Touya was asleep… “Would you like to say hi to her?”

“… Sure, of course.”

A moment later, a light haired young man was lead in frame by Sakura. He looked a little baffled but happy all the same. At a gesture, he waved at the camera, smiling a charming smile. “Hello, Daidouji-san.”

Unnoticed, Kero flew behind him. The command “ _Wake up, Yue_ ,” was barely audible.

Sakura started, turning off the camera just as a flash of white filled the screen.


	7. And I made my own card

“T-Tomoyo-chan...” Sakura said, somewhat plaintively, looking up past the camera at her friends face. She was sitting on the floor of her room, being looked down on. The camera that the – currently standing – Tomoyo was using was the handheld recorder she usually saved for Sakura’s adventures out dealing with magic or cards or both.

“Do you feel the need to film everything in her life?” The mild comment was off-screen but clearly Syaoran’s voice.

“When it’s important,” Tomoyo’s voice said cheerfully, making no attempt to move the camera off of the girl, who was still somewhat confused as to why she was on film _now_. Although there was sunlight streaming through one window, lighting up the room, it was obvious Sakura was somewhat fatigued.

Kero, sitting on the floor beside her said, “And for you, Tomoyo, that _is_ everything in Sakura’s life.”

The camerawoman giggled. “Of course!” Before either of the males could comment on this she added. “But this really is important! Sakura-chan has really grown magically! This needs to be documented – and since I couldn’t be there last night to film she needs to tell everyone what has happened!” The screen zoomed in on Sakura’s slightly blushing face. “Right?”

“Right.” The girl sighed, but finally smiled up at the screen. “My name is Sakura Kinomoto, and I made my own card.”

“Well?” Tomoyo added. Sakura made a questioning noise. “Show them!”

With a small shake of her head, Sakura shuffled through the deck of cards before pulling out the new pink card, first the front and then the back, all while explaining how she had used Fiery to deal with the rain, the new chant she had created and the new circle and card that had resulted.

“I collapsed after that, and was too sleepy to go to school today, but Tomoyo-chan and Syaoran-kun came over to check up on me!” She concluded, cheerfully. “And now I’ve got my first good look at the card that I created.”

“And so!” Tomoyo said. “This isn’t a Clow Card after all, but a lovely Sakura-chan card! And with these Sakura-chan cards she’ll be able to face this new magical disturbance! Oh, new cards, new magic, think of all the new _outfits_ you’ll need!”

Sakura sighed, blushing even more at her friend’s words. “I don’t know about calling them Sakura-chan cards,” was all she could say.

“How about Sakura Cards?”

“I don’t know about that either,” she said, laughing nervously.

“I still don’t understand,” Syaoran spoke up again and this time Tomoyo did him the credit of moving her camcorder off of Sakura and to the boy. He sat cross-legged on the floor, still in his school uniform, looking from Sakura to Kero as serious as ever. “Why did she get so tired?”

“When she was using the Clow Cards she was tapping into the magic that Clow had put into the cards when he made them,” Kero answered promptly. “Of course it takes some of her own magic, or else she wouldn’t have been able to use them at all, but when changing the card to a Sakura card she’s only using her own power and nothing else. It makes sense, with her power levels what they are right now, that it would cause her to faint and wear her out, to have to use that much.”

“So that’s why I was so tired,” Sakura said, looking at the pink card in her lap. Suddenly she looked at them both. “But wait. Does this mean, every time I change a card this is going to happen?”

Kero shook his head. “Of course not, kiddo. Think of it like muscle memory – the more cards you change the stronger your power will get and soon enough it won’t feel like a strain at all.”

Sakura relaxed at this reassurance. Unnoticed by her –but not by the camera – Syaoran did, too.

“What does concern me,” Kero went on seriously. “Is that last night, Yue and I weren’t able to do anything to help you, Sakura.”

She shook her head. “No, no – don’t worry about it. Everything worked out in the end and I’m not hurt-“

“No, I _have_ to worry about this. It’s one thing if Yue and I had been in our temporary forms when this happened – but we were in our true forms, as powerful as we get and neither of us could move.”

Syaoran tensed up again. “You were in your true forms and still?”

Kero nodded, crossing his tiny arms. “There are only two people who are supposed to be able to control the guardians of the cards that way; our current master, Sakura, of course, and our previous master and creator. Clow Reed.”

Sakura looked from Kero to the camera, obviously concerned. “But how could Clow-san do anything? He died a long time ago, didn't he?”

“I don’t know,” the small creature admitted. “And right now there’s no way to know unless something happens again. Just… be careful.” She nodded, and then yawned. “And go back to bed,” he added, in a more cheerful voice. “You sleep late for class enough without magical explanation.”

“Kero-chan!” She exclaimed, indignant.

Kero flew up onto her shoulder. “Whaat? It’s true – you sleep like a rock and your alarms could wake the dead, but not you!”

“Kero-chan!”

Tomoyo’s laugh was heard from behind the camera. “Kero-chan is right, though, Sakura-chan. You should go to bed early.”

She smiled at her friend. “I will, I promise.” She looked from Tomoyo to Syaoran. “I suppose you’ll want to head home soon. It’s almost dinnertime.”

“I have a car coming to get me soon,” Tomoyo said. “I can give you a ride home, too, Li-kun.”

The boy shrugged. “If it’s no trouble…”

“None at all.”

Sakura beamed at Tomoyo. “Thank you for coming over.” She turned the glowing smile in Syaoran’s direction. “Both of you.”

He flushed a little and leaned away from her, muttering something that sounded a little like “It was nothing.”

Tomoyo giggled. “I’m just glad you’re feeling okay, Sakura-chan. Now, say goodbye.”

Sakura shook her head, amused by her friend’s antics, and obediently waved to the camera. “Bye bye!” Pleased, Tomoyo shut the camera off.


	8. And it's bear giving season in Tomoeda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was long. I had debated splitting up the bear-related incidents but I like it best like this, I think.

Sakura was filming on her laptop again, and sat at the small desk in her room.

“Hello again, everyone! It’s been a few weeks since I last made a video – although I’m sure you’ve seen the ones that Tomoyo-chan has taped… wherever it is she’s putting these. I still don’t know if you’re actually out there…” she paused and then shrugged, chipper as she ever was. “Anyways! As I was saying, it’s been a few weeks and a  _lot_  has happened and I feel I should probably catch you up on it!

“For starters, there have been a few more magical incidents since my last video, but that’s not all that’s been happening – although they seem to be getting more and more connected with my life. Mostly with this-“ She stood and reached behind the laptop, returning with a small – one-eared – plush bear. She showed it off for the camera.

“My name is Sakura Kinomoto, and it’s bear giving season in Tomoeda.”

The bear was set back on the desk as she continued. “A couple of weeks ago my friend Rika-chan showed us all a bear she’s making for the guy she likes, and Tomoyo-chan told us about a tradition where if someone gives a home-made bear to the person they love, and name the bear after themselves – that person will love you back.” She flushed a pretty red. “And well, I know it’s still a few weeks before Yukito-san’s birthday but I thought if I made… him… one…” she couldn’t even finish the sentence, clutching her flaming cheeks. “Oh it sounds silly, saying it like this!”

She glanced off-screen at the teddy bear, and then sat up straight. “Right! Like I was saying, twice since I started on that bear there have been strange occurrences related to it. First, after going to buy supplies, Syaoran-kun was controlled by some kind of magical string. I was able to use Sword to cut them, but it was really very upsetting.” She shook her head, remembering. “Thankfully he wasn’t hurt in the end, and didn't hurt anyone else. That was also the first time I really sensed Clow-san’s presence when this happened. I’ve only met him once, and it was in a dream, but it definitely felt the same. Kero-chan said he definitely sensed it as Clow-san’s presence, too.

“And then, last night, when I went to give Yukito-san the finished bear, it suddenly grew into a giant and I had to cut off it’s ear to get it to return to normal – and it was there I found a paper with Clow-san’s Magic Circle on it.” Sakura shook her head again, looking very confused and very concerned. “I don’t understand this as all-“ She was cut off by the doorbell. Standing, she went off screen to her window. “Syaoran-kun!” She greeted, and quieter, to herself, she added. “I forgot I invited him over to talk about last night!” Forgetting about the video, she ran out of the room.

There was silence for several minutes, before the sound of muffled voices and footsteps were heard, and her door opened again.

“-is asleep and Touya is at work,” Sakura was saying. She led the boy into her room as he held a small unmarked bag by one hand. She paused, noticing the open laptop once again. “Oh, and I was filming just now. I hope you don’t mind.”

Syaoran gave the camera a wary look, like he expected it to attack, but all he said was, “It’s fine.” His gaze drifted to something behind the laptop. “So… that thing?”

Sakura followed his glance and nodded. She reached back and withdrew the teddy bear again and sat down with it. “Yep. Just as I’d given it to Yukito-san there was this burst of magic and suddenly it was…” she made a swooping hand gesture, trying to portray the growth of the teddy bear, causing it to fall out of her hands.

Awkwardly, Syaoran stooped, returning the bear to her. “Thank you,” she said, beaming at him. He flushed and quickly stepped away from her. “Here,” she added, patting the seat beside her. “Sit.” He did so, setting the bag down, looking uncomfortable and distinctly out of place.

“And Clow’s circle?” he asked. This she produced from her pocket, passing it to him. The boy studied it for a minute then passed it back with the smallest shrug. “I can’t sense anything from it, now.”

“Me neither. I didn’t sense anything until it happened, and it all vanished the second I cut the ear off. It was all so sudden.” She brightened. “Anyway! That’s why I called you over – Tomoyo-chan gave me these after everything that happened yesterday, so we can keep in better contact when things like this come out of nowhere.” She stood, vanishing for a moment to return with two small phones; one baby pink and another a mint green. The green she held out to Syaoran. “Here – now I’ll call you if something like this happens again.”

Hesitantly, he took the phone. Staring at it, carefully not looking at her, he asked. “Y-you will?”

“Of course I will!” She placed the phone in her lap and extended her pinky to him. “See – promise?”

Syaoran looked thoroughly flustered, but laced his finger with hers obediently. Sakura positively beamed at him in response. Releasing her hand as quickly as he could, he shoved his hands under his legs and looked away from her. “So,” he said, stiff. “Weren’t you supposed to _give_  that bear to him?”

Now Sakura blushed, a little self-conscious. “Yes, well. It needs it’s ear mended now, and so it’s been in the shop. You can imagine how hard it was to explain to Yukito-san why I needed to hang on to it.” When Syaoran said nothing, Sakura looked up from the bear to find him looking away rather determinedly. Her blush deepened. “Oh, I- I’m sorry, Syaoran-kun. You l-like Yukito-san, too, don’t you?”

Syaoran said nothing, turned almost completely away from her. He squeezed his eyes shut and said, “No.”

“Hoe?”

“I th-thought I did, before. But it wasn’t – real. I realized I… I like someone else now.”

Sakura stared at him, completely taken aback. “Someone else?” He said nothing. “Who?”

He glanced at her, his cheeks a brilliant red. She had turned to face him almost entirely, innocently intent on what he might say. “The person I l-like-” he began, his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. He looked at down, then back at her, then at the camera, at her. “I- I like- I-“

But Sakura had caught his look to the camera and cut him off, frantically. “Oh, I’m sorry! I’m sorry – I shouldn’t be asking you something so personal on camera! I forgot! Sorry, Syaoran-kun.”

Now both were equally embarrassed, their faces almost glowing red.

Grasping for a less awkward subject, Sakura pointed off camera, toward his feet. “By the way, what’s the bag for?”

It had the opposite of her desired effect. Syaoran started, standing so suddenly that he pushed the bench at her desk back, causing Sakura to stumble slightly.

“Sya-Syaoran-kun?”

“I-I need t-t-to go,” he said, eloquently, already backing toward the door like a startled animal. He had sprinted out before Sakura could even think of asking what was the matter.

Looking back to the camera she gave a small shrug, looking more than a little lost. “Did I say something wrong? Oh!” She’d looked down. “He left his bag…”

She disappeared momentarily as she stooped to pick it up. When she came into view again she was holding its contents, looking at it thoughtfully. A plush bear, smaller than the one she'd made for Yuktio, but well-made, and handsome, a sensible shade of green. Sakura turned it over in her hands, inspecting it.  _Had he made it_ , she wondered,  _for the person he liked?_  She’d have to give it back to him soon, then. Distantly, she knew she shouldn’t be touching it if it was so personal, but it was soft and quite charming looking and she felt oddly taken with it.

Looking up from the bear’s face, she remembered the camera and gave it a smile, although she looked preoccupied in her thoughts on Syaoran and the bear. “Bear giving season,” she repeated as much to herself as to the audience. With that she stood, shutting the camera off.


	9. And I can't sleep

It was late afternoon when Sakura turned the camera on next, the light in her room fading. She was still in her pajamas and had a listless expression on her face.

“Hello everyone,” she said, waving an absent wave. “I was sent home sick from school today so-“

“So what’re you doing making a video?” Sakura was cut off as Kero interrupted. He flew into frame, hovering at her shoulder, arms crossed and scowling.

She jumped back a little. “Kero-chan-“

He wasn’t having any of it. “You said you’d try to sleep and now you’re all up and about again! You shouldn’t have gone to school today to begin with and now you’re-“

“Kero-chan!”

He subsided, muttering angrily under his breath.

Sakura turned back the camera with a sigh. “My name is Sakura Kinomoto… and I can’t sleep.”

Catching Kero’s glare she added. “And I know I _should_ lie down but the medicine my brother gave me when I came home is still working and I’m not feeling quite so bad.”

“You still shouldn’t be pushing yourself – you really should have stayed at home today.”

“I told you,” Sakura said plaintively. “I didn’t want my dad to worry and miss his trip, besides I had day duty, I needed to go. I hadn’t really been feeling that bad-“

“You said you passed out in gym class!”

She sighed, rubbing her head, deciding against arguing with the tiny creature any longer – her headache was returning. “I _did_ , and Syaoran-kun took over day duty for me and told me to go home so it was okay in the end.”

Kero sniffed. “So you’ll listen to the brat but not me?”

For once Sakura didn’t argue against the ‘ _brat_ ’ comment, only because her mind seemed to be occupied on something else. Her sleepy eyes focused on something behind her computer. “Right,” she said, addressing the camera but speaking more to herself. “I told Syaoran-kun about how he had left his bear behind yesterday. I figured he’d want it back soon but he told me I could keep it.” She shook her head. “I had _thought_ he had made it for the person he liked but… maybe he didn’t like how it turned out? It looks nice enough to me, and I’m happy to have it. I wonder…” She trailed off, rubbing her head again.

“Hey, hey! You can wonder all you want about bears and brats, just do it in bed wouldya?” Kero flew up to rest a tiny paw on her forehead. “You’re feeling warmer again, and I’m guessing that medication is wearing itself off.”

“I _told_ you, Kero-chan, I can’t sleep.”

“That doesn’t mean y’need to be up talking to Tomoyo or whoever. Videos can wait, rest shouldn’t.”

She smiled. “You sound like brother.”

“Well, he’s got a good point.” Kero nodded his head decisively. “Now, bed.”

“Alright, alright.” She waved her hands at him, conceding. She stood up, moving slowly. “I wonder if I’ll have another odd dream tonight…” She mumbled, more to herself.

Kero still hovered over her, like a concerned parent. “You haven’t been having those regularly, right?”

“No, no – just every now and then. And I still can’t… remember what’s happening. They just feel… urgent.”

“Urgent?”

“Mmhm. Like, I’m being told to _do_ something, but I don’t know what it is.” Sakura wobbled slightly, and Kero chose to drop magical questions in preference of something far more important; his mistress’s health.

“Right, right. Well, we’ll worry about those dreams when you’re better. Now –“

“Bed, yes. I know.” Sakura stopped before turning to her bed completely. “Right- the camera.” She wobbled over, and turned it off.

 ~~~

The screen winked on again to Sakura, now in a different position. The laptop was on her lap, and she was sitting up in her bed, a cup of something steamy and warm in her hands. The lights were down.

“Hi again,” she was whispering but her demeanor was considerably more perky. “Kero-chan isn’t here right now, but Touya is probably going to be staying up to check on me and will yell if he hears me filming but I just wanted to fill you in;

Right after I turned the camera off I sensed Clow-san’s presence again. And since I have the Mirror card to make it look like I was here, I was able to go out and deal with what disturbance there was – this time it was a lot of fog… too much to be natural. Except, with my fever I didn’t do very well getting out there. Thankfully, Syaoran-kun had sensed it, too, and I had made sure to call him, so he was able to help.   
Still, what happened was kind of, _strange_. I heard Clow-san’s voice, telling me what card to use to deal with the fog, and then I guess I fainted. Syaoran-kun and Kero-chan found me, with my fever gone and a strange coat with me. I don’t know what that means, but whoever is doing this seems to be helping me, too.”

She yawned. “Kero-chan is staying the night at Syaoran-kun’s I think – rather than risk my brother catching him – and now, I think I’ll listen to him. Fever or no fever I am exhausted. So I’m off to sleep. Goodnight.”


End file.
